Jordan Foils Major Drug Smuggling Attempt from Syria

Jordan intercepted an attempt to smuggle drugs from Syria, injuring several smugglers in clashes. Syria has become a major production site for the amphetamine captagon, with Jordan as a transit route. Jordan's military has conducted pre-emptive airstrikes to combat the rise in cross-border drug smuggling.

Jordan successfully thwarted an effort to smuggle drugs from Syria on Monday, as reported by the state news agency Petra.

According to a military source quoted by Petra, several smugglers were injured during clashes with security forces before retreating back into Syrian territory. The quantity of the captured drugs was not disclosed.

Syria has emerged as a principal hub for the mass production of captagon, an addictive amphetamine, with Jordan serving as a primary transit route to Gulf states, say Western anti-narcotics officials. Jordanian authorities, in agreement with their Western counterparts, allege that Lebanon's Iran-backed Hezbollah group and pro-Iranian militias overseeing southern Syria are driving the surge in the multi-billion-dollar drug and weapons trade. Both Iran and Hezbollah deny these accusations.

In an effort to curb the increasing cross-border incursions, Jordan's military has executed several pre-emptive airstrikes in Syria targeting drug-related militias and their facilities since last year, according to Jordanian officials.

(With inputs from agencies.)